The Players: Rob Graveley, vocals, bass; Danny Cadiz, lead guitar; Kevin Kablau, drums.
Material: Straight-up, good-feeling, high energy rock & roll is the best way to describe the music of Bearwulf. The rock trio sound is tricky, but can be done extremely well. With bass-driven grooves and solid guitar motifs, the music creates a danceable, groove-able environment. At the end of the day, it’s rock & roll, and Rob Graveley’s voice makes that point, most often in a sort of scream/yell hybrid. In “The Hurt,” Bearwulf present a solid classic rock groove with distorted bass, and the star attraction is Graveley’s expressive voice.
Musicianship: This rock trio exemplify quality musicianship throughout the show, despite some chaos at times. Graveley has one of those special voices that is able to growl and scream while being beautiful and precise at the same time. With the ability to change quickly from a growl to a falsetto, one can’t deny his attention to the craft. Graveley's bass playing should also be noted—as in many cases of a lead-singer/bass player, he plays the role of “lead bass” from time to time and often drives the whole band with the bass line. Cadiz can shred on the guitar and doesn’t disappoint with his solo ability. However, for most of the set, the sound of his distortion and the general tone coming from the stage didn't match the rest of the band. A few songs in, the technical issues were worked out and the volume of Cadiz’s guitar stepped up, but one got the feeling that the ability of the player was being held back by the tone coming from his amp. Kevin Kablau is adequate on the drums, and after the first couple tunes, the rhythm section truly locked in for a groovy time.
Performance: High octane, party-time energy was screaming out of Graveley from the moment he and the band took the stage. The amped-up, fully-fueled and eager crowd at The Prospector was not disappointed by the efforts put forth on the little stage. The feeling of the club was almost that of an underground house-party with everyone rallied together. Drunken girls taking face dives into the front of the stage only helped maintain the party's energy. It took the first song for the performance to solidly lock in, but the band’s entertainment value was strong throughout and the crowd responded appropriately.
Summary: Bearwulf is fun. They are loud and seem to require a certain readiness to party from those who wish to journey with them, but in the end it’s all about fun. Rock & roll of this type generally is.
– Tim Reid, Jr.
